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By: - 20th June 2008 at 21:55 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Boeing B-52 perhaps?
By: - 20th June 2008 at 21:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
C47 (DC 3) somewhere in Africa perhaps?
By: - 20th June 2008 at 21:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Harvard IIB KF183 based at Boscombe Down with the ETPS
By: - 20th June 2008 at 22:06 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Harvard IIB KF183 based at Boscombe Down with the ETPS
Is ETPS really considered to be airforce, as that's what is asked by the Original poster.
By: - 20th June 2008 at 22:54 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ok, AIrforce, Govt Service , would be more apt,
I suppose it was a interest in the Jet aircraft, do any countries in africa still
use Migs 21 or earlier, or even older types, I know the C47 is still used,
I bet theres some real gems out there in some of these small countries back and beyond,
I recall some time ago Albania was trying to sell off there old Mig fleet,
By: - 20th June 2008 at 23:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm sure the RAF leased back some Hunters not so long ago for some training requirement. In fact the ETPS has been using one the last couple of years. Shame really as it used to have two T7's on it's strength.
Are there any remaining Canbera's or have they now all be retired?
Oh, and there are a couple of Andovers still soldiering on at Boscombe Down. Not that these are really in RAF use.
Does thunder city count?
By: - 21st June 2008 at 00:01 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Interesting subject.
But we can go older then the ETPS Harvard...
The BBMF aircraft are technically serving types with the RAF and the Spitfire MKIIa P7350 rolled off the line in 1940.
Can anyone go older then that?
By: - 21st June 2008 at 00:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The oldest Spitfire is the oldest individual fighter, but there's also a Hurricane, which although newer as an individual aircraft, is older as a type - which was what was originally asked.
But we should define parameters. Do historic flights count?
There may be some trainers or transports out there somewhere (most probably in Latin America, rather than Africa) of even older types.
By: - 21st June 2008 at 00:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does India still operate the Breguet Br.1050 Alizé?
By: - 21st June 2008 at 01:18 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does Mwxico still operate biplane trainers?
By: - 21st June 2008 at 04:32 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Does India still operate the Breguet Br.1050 Alizé?
no they have long retired and found in naval museum only
By: - 21st June 2008 at 08:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I too would have to say the venrable Douglas C-47/DC-3
Regards
Pioneer
By: - 21st June 2008 at 08:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
PT-17 Stearmans in the Mexican AF.
First flown in 1934!
By: - 21st June 2008 at 09:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
According to Wiki (so you'll know how to interpret the list) the following countries still have the MiG-17 in their inventory:
* Mali (also MiG-15UTI)
* North-Korea (Shenyang F-5. Also MiG15UTI)
* Sudan (Shengyang F-5)
* Tanzania (Shengyang F-5)
By: - 21st June 2008 at 10:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
This subject crops up every once in a while........
First you have to define what you mean by 'service'........
Still operational ?? (as opposed to historic/commemorative flights)
With a military force ?? (as opposed to quasi-miltary like the Martin Baker trials Meteor etc)
I think in previous threads on this subject, the consensus was the C-47 for piston and the T-33 for jets - as both are still in service with an air arm somewhere in the world.
The Meteor & Canberra plus the MiG-15 were close 'seconds'
Ken
By: - 21st June 2008 at 13:09 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Jungmann
I helped my friend restore a Bucker Jungmann,
(now sold to a german museum in flying order)
and he told me that when the spanish airfroce released the casa Jungmanns
after a while they recalled some back , and wanted to hold onto the ones they had, as there was nothing of its type that was as aerobatic as the old Jungmann as a trainer, for a introduction to flight for flight training,
Is there any truth in this ??
and does the Spanish airforce still use them, i remember it was not too long ago that the Spanish still used the Dornier 24 flying boat,
and I wonder if India still uses the canberra ?
By: - 21st June 2008 at 13:53 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
and I wonder if India still uses the canberra ?
Still doesn't count - IIRC, Bolivia (and others ?) still use the T-33 - and it first flew before the Canberra.
Ken
By: - 21st June 2008 at 21:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I helped my friend restore a Bucker Jungmann,
(now sold to a german museum in flying order)and he told me that when the spanish airfroce released the casa Jungmanns
after a while they recalled some back , and wanted to hold onto the ones they had, as there was nothing of its type that was as aerobatic as the old Jungmann as a trainer, for a introduction to flight for flight training,Is there any truth in this ??
and does the Spanish airforce still use them, i remember it was not too long ago that the Spanish still used the Dornier 24 flying boat,and I wonder if India still uses the canberra ?
Not too long? The last Dornier was retired 40 years ago. The good old Jungmann is a myth, still flying in the Fundación Infante de Orleans, civilian of course.
By: - 23rd June 2008 at 07:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Lebanon is still hopeful of making a few of the Hunters airworthy this year.
By: - 23rd June 2008 at 09:23 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The South African Airforce has a considerable number of DC-3/C-47's on their inventory. These are not hangar queens, but are used as transports, with a few used as maritime patrol aircraft with updated electronics/radar. So they still fulfill vital airforce roles and duties.
Now I know that they have been extensively modernised with turboprops and aerodynamic changes amongst others. But surely the manufacturers plate is still the same?
So I'd guess that it would most likely be a DC-3/C47 somewhere.....most of them are on their way to their 70th birthday!!!
Posts: 1,107
By: merkle - 20th June 2008 at 21:24
I have wondered for quite a while now, and hoped some of you may answer it,
I Love 1950s aircraft , especailly military, And i wondered , What is the OLDEST serving Aircraft type in the worlds airforces to date, ??
I would really love to know, I even wonder if some airforces still have Mig 17's
or something from that vintage,
Any clues would be Most helpful
thanks in anticipation
Chris C